Southern Africa

Angola (with Slipstream International)

March 2008

KALUKEMBE—On Nov 28, 2008, Jean Fisher, Karen Milco, and others from Slipstream International began a 17-day journey moving through South Africa, Namibia, and ending in the small village Kalukembe (Caluquembe), a mission site for IESA (Ingreja Evangelica De Angola). Angola. On the long trek they carried two boxes that contained a HWI trike.

There the aftermath of 27 years of civil war remains visible, with bombed buildings, abandoned tanks, crippled victims, and extreme poverty. Antonia, one of the hospital who had  a bright smile, and a strong spirit, confidently tried the HWI trike, leaving her wheelchair behind.

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Trike Brainstorming Meeting in Wheaton

On March 2, 2008, the Milco’s a couple in the process of beginning Slipstream International, along with four HWI team members met. We brainstormed and dreamed about the possibility of one day joining with a hospital in Angola, Africa and creating a vocational rehabilitation program. Such that the disabled treated at the hospital, could learn to build trikes.

The only thing left to do is pray because such dreams require god sized interventions.

November 28, 2008

Angola, Africa with Slipstream International

“On November 28th, His Wheels International and I, Jean Fisher, embarked on a 17-day journey to through South Africa, Namibia and finally Angola. I traveled, accompanied by my friends Karen Milco, [Who met with HWI back in March 2008] DW, and MS, to Kalukembe, the site of the mission station of IESA – the Igreja Evangelica De Angola.

Kalukembe is about 300 kilometers east of Lubango in southern Angola. There we worked with 3 translators: Germana, Isobel and Setayko, who helped us lead evangelistic devotions at the Kalukembe Hospital, and teach Bible lessons, pottery, rug-making, knitting, soap-making, and basic public health to the local women.

Kalukembe is a small, beautiful village. There are still reminders of the 27 years of civil war that damaged Angola almost beyond recognition. Bombed buildings, abandoned tanks, and uprooted trees litter the landscape, but the most heartbreaking markers of the war are the crippled victims of land mines and the families still struggling with poverty and malnutrition. Even so, it was evident that God’s Spirit is strong within the believers of Kalukembe.

On December 6th, I delivered a His Wheels International hand-pedaled Trike to the Kalukembe hospital. A hospital employee named Antonia was the chosen recipient. Antonia was paralyzed from the waist down. My opportunity to deliver the Trike to Antonia reminded me of the story in Mark 2:1-12, when faithful friends brought their paralyzed companion to Jesus to be healed. Each of us played a part as “friends” of Antonia as we supported the mission of His Wheels.

I will never forget the image of Antonia being wheeled to our meeting place where she received the Trike. I had the joy of watching her independently hand-pedal away, leaving her old wheelchair behind. As she maneuvered the path back to where she worked, the Trike accentuated the need for the roads and paths to be made more accessible. It revealed other ways IESA could help improve conditions for those with a physical disability.

The IESA leaders were very supportive of His Wheels’ vision to restore dignity to the disabled, and they are interested in manufacturing more Trikes for others in need. Angola has the highest number of land mine victims in the world, so the need is great indeed.

God is truly amazing in His love and gracious mercy! I hope this encourages you [friends and HWI volunteers] as you hear how your energy, financial support and prayers for His Wheels has reached Angola, Africa. Thank you!” Jean Fisher

 

May 2009

Angola, Africa with Rise International

May made our 4th year of distributing bicycles for educators in Angol, Africa through our partnership with Rise International. This year, in addition to sending 2 bicycles, tools, spare parts and $1,200 to buy bicycles, we also sent a trike.

The trike went to a school teacher. It will allow her to travel to and from her village on weekends to see her family.

Congo Democratic Repulic of Congo (DRC), Africa

June 2007
“In June 2007, HWI was accomplishing yet another dream when I wrote out a check to buy bikes [and one hand-pedaled three-wheeler designed and built locally in the DRC] in Congo. I was reminded of the journey God had begun in 2005, when I met a Congolese pastor, his wife, and their two teenage sons. They brought up their need for bikes to facilitate ministry in a more efficient manner. At the time I was quick to clarify that we didn’t have any money. The husband said, ‘We don’t need money to talk and plan.’ He was right. As we began dialoguing, the wife shared the story of how important a bike was for her work.

‘One day our church sent my husband and me to serve the Lord at another local church,’ she told me. ‘It was a thirty-minute-walk from our house. I began walking there three times a week to meet with the women, but soon I started having trouble with my legs. I prayed, ‘God, I need a bicycle.’

She decided that the only way to get enough money was to bake cakes and sell them to buy the bicycle. So she prayed again: ‘I need twenty-five kilograms of sugar so I can bake cakes.’

She continued, ‘I took a few days and talked with God about the needs of my heart. The next day at church, our pastor prayed, ‘God, give her what she needs, in Jesus’ name.’ After church my husband checked the mailbox. He brought an envelope and said, ‘Here is the answer to our prayer.’ We didn’t know who sent it. God provided the money to buy everything for baking cakes.’

She began baking cakes and buying one piece of the bicycle at a time until she got all the parts. The whole process took a year.

She never gave up, but instead was enchanted by each new part she gathered.

‘Afterward I took it all to a mechanic, who put it together,’ she said. “I named the bicycle Dieudonne, meaning ‘God gave.’ Before riding, we dedicated the bicycle to God. Then I began using it to serve Him. When we left to spend two years in the United States, I wondered what I should do with this bicycle. Since God had given it to me for His work, I decided I must give it away, so it would continue serving Him. I gave it to a committed pastor’s wife who teaches women in Napopo Bible Institute.’

When I handed the couple the check, the wife jumped with joy. She said, ‘He has returned to me over ten times what I’ve given. This is an amazing miracle. In my heart, I know God is alive.’ Afterward we dedicated the work to God in prayer through jubilant celebration and great anticipation of what God had planned.

‘Thank you, Lord, for blessing our obedience,’ the husband concluded.”*

In a written report back months later Mboligihe wrote, “We ordered and had a hand-pedaled three-wheeler (trike) built for a disabled servant of God in Congo.

Since this is the rainy season in Congo, they must wait for the mud and potholes to dry up before the truck can deliver the bicycles. They hoped the bicycles would arrive in Dungu by the end of November.'”

*Excerpt from, Teisan, Alice Riding on Faith: Keeping Your Balance When the Wheels Fall OFF, (2012), 129-131.

Tanzania

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